Electric-cord adjuster



PATENTED FEB. 23, 1904.

No. 752,696. v

' J. E. MASTERSON.

ELECTRIC 00m) ADJUSTER.

APPLIQATION P ILED MAY 23, 1903.

N0 MODEL,

' portion of one of said arms.

UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

' ELECTRIC-CORD ADJUSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 752,696, dated February 23, 1904.

Application filed May 23, 1903. Serial No. 158,533. (NomodeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JONATHAN E. MASTER- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Electric-Cord Adjuster, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in electric-cord adjusters, the object being to take up the surplus length of the cord when it is desired to shorten same and to permit the part so taken up to unwind from a suitable roller when it is desired to lengthen the cord. Iarn aware of the fact that other forms of adjusters have been used. The common manner of constructing these adjusters or incandescentlight hangers is to pass the cord entirely through them and by sliding the hanger on cords, the adjuster forming the connecting link between the cords, one of which only is wound or unwound upon the spool, thereby simplifying the operation and construction.

My invention also consists in the novel fea tures of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in WlllCll.

Figure l is a perspective view of my adjuster connected to an incandescent-light bulb and socket. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken diametrically through the adjuster. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an insulating-strip on the side of the adjuster. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the supporting-arms. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the upper Fig. dis a detail view, partly in section, showing the means for locking the spool against rotation.

In the construction of one of my adjusters I employ a-cylindrical casing A, having a hub B. The hub is hollow, open at each end, and formed of some suitable insulating material and is perforated on one side, as at B, midway its ends. A flanged spool C is revolubly mounted on the hub, and an annular recess C is formed on each side of the spool, said recess 5 encircling the hub. In each recess is arranged a coiled spring C one end of which is fastened to the spool, the opposite end being secured to the hub. A bore C is formed in the spool between the flanges, said bore being adapted to register with the perforation B of the hub. Metal plugsD are threaded into each end of the hub B, and a cord D is passed through the top of the casing, the cord comprising the usual double strand and is conducted through the bore C and perforation B and the strands separated in the hub, each strand being attached to the inner end of one ofthe plugs. The plugs project from the casing, and over these projecting ends and also over the projecting ends of'the hub fits the upper enlarged portion of the insulatingstrips E. Fitting over each strip is a supporting-arm F, curved longitudinally. The upper portion of each arm terminates in a bowl-shaped enlargement, and a collar F is connected to the bowl by a neck portion F, the neck being bent upon itself, so that the collar will depend opposite to the concaved face of the bowl portion. The collar fits over the extreme outer end of one of the. plugs, and the arm extends downward, covering the strip E, a channel being formed between the arm and the strip. At its lower end each arm is connected to a suitable base F, upon which the casing A rests. These arms are preferably made of some non-conducting material, though, if desired, they may be made of other material and lined with some insulating material. Within the bowl F is secured a spring F one end of which is adapted to contact with the outer end of one of the plugs, and the other end of the spring has a wire F attached to it, these wires being carried downward between the arms and the strips E and through the base into the usual socket to which the incandescent-light bulb is secured. On one side of the spool are arranged an annular series of perforations C An aperture A is formed in the casing, and within the easing is pivoted a compound curved lever C having a button at one end which projects outwardlythrough the aperture A, and at its opposite end the lever carries an inwardly-projecting pin C adapted to engage the perforations C and normally held in engagement with one of said perforations by a spring C The springs C being wound when placed in position by pressing the button C, the pin G will be withdrawn from engagement with the perforations C, the springs rotating the spool spool will be in the opposite direction and will rewind the springs.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device of the kind described comprising a stationary casing, the base of said casing being secured to the socket of an incandescent-light bulb, a hollow hub through the casing, plugs arranged in the ends of the hub, a spool adapted to rotate on said hub, a cord comprising a plurality of strands said cord passing through the casing and spool into the hub and having its strands separated within the hub, and connected to the plugs, springs contacting at one end with the outer ends of the plugs, wires leading from the said springs to the socket, means for rotating the spool and means for locking it against rotation.

2. A device of the kind described comprising a cylindrical casing having a hollow perforated hub, plugs projecting outwardly from each end of the hub, a spool rotating on the hub and transversely perforated to register with the perforation of the hub, channel-ways formed on the exterior of the casing, an insulated cord passing through the casing and through the perforations of the spool and hub into the latter, said cord separating within thehub into strands, the ends of which contact with the inner ends of the plugs, and insulated wires leading from the outer ends of the plugs through the channel-ways.

3. Adevice of the kind described comprising a casing having an insulated hollow hub portion, a spring-actuated spool rotating on said hub, metal plugs fitting in each end of the hub and extending outward, insulatingstrips arranged on the exterior of the casing and fitting on the projecting ends of the hubs, longitudinally curved arms covering said strips and having bowl-shaped portions covering the ends of the plugs, electrical conductors extending through the casing and spool into the hub and contacting with the inner ends of the plugs, and electrical conductors arranged between the strips and arms and contacting with the outer ends of the plugs.

JONATHAN E. MASTERSON. Witnesses:

H. WISDOM, J. R. MASTERSON. 

